How Donations Save Lives

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The American Cancer Society has been saving lives for more than a century. Every day, 500 lives that would have otherwise been lost to cancer are saved. None of it would be possible without the generosity of donors like you. Your dollars help us to help people now who are fighting breast cancer in every community, while working to free the world from the pain and suffering of breast cancer tomorrow.

The progress we're making because of the passion of over 1.4 million Making Strides participants this year is remarkable. And we've only just begun. So, how exactly do the breast cancer donations you bring in help save lives?

Promoting Prevention and Early Detection

We help people understand which screening tests they need and the steps they can take to help protect themselves from breast cancer by developing prevention and early detection guidelines that are the industry standard.

Make a commitment to get to and stay at a healthy body weight and engage in regular physical activity to help reduce your breast cancer risk.

Subscribe to our Breast Cancer Update newsletter to read about cancer research and treatment breakthroughs, prevention and early detection tips and guidelines, and inspirational stories.

Supporting Patients in their Recovery

We provide free information and support when and where people need it. If your friend is losing her hair because of chemotherapy, your mother needs a ride to treatment, or a loved one needs a place to stay while getting treatment away from home, we have trained, empathetic people waiting and willing to help, and programs to meet most needs.

The Road to Recovery Program provides transportation to and from treatment and related medical appointments for people who have cancer and do not have a ride or are unable to drive themselves.

The Hope Lodge® network of communities offers cancer patients and their caregivers a free place to stay when receiving treatment away from home.

The Look Good Feel Better® program helps cancer patients improve their appearance and self-image by teaching them hands-on beauty techniques to manage the appearance-related side effects of cancer treatments.

The Reach to Recovery program helps people cope with their breast cancer experience through face-to-face, over-the-phone, or email counsel, guidance, and support.

The I Can Cope® online educational program is available for people facing cancer and their families and friends. The program is comprised of self-paced classes that can be taken anytime, day or night.

The Cancer Survivors Network℠ online community is designed to provide a private and secure way for cancer survivors and caregivers to connect with others who share their interests and experiences and provide peer support.

Cancer information specialists are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by calling our toll-free information line, 1-800-227-2345.

Pursuing Lifesaving Treatments

The American Cancer Society invests more in breast cancer research than any other cancer type. Society-funded research has led to the development of potentially lifesaving breast cancer drugs such as tamoxifen and Herceptin, as well as the discovery of genes linked to breast cancer (e.g., BRCA1). We are currently funding more than $74 million in breast cancer research through 185 research and training grants. These grants are awarded in multiple areas relevant to the disease, including genetics, etiology, diagnostics (imaging and biomarkers), drug development; and preclinical, clinical, and epidemiological studies in prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and quality of life.

Fighting Back

The American Cancer Society empowers those affected by cancer through legislative means. The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network℠ (ACS CAN) the Society’s nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy affiliate works with legislators to make cancer a national priority and rally communities worldwide in a common cause. ACS CAN gives ordinary people extraordinary power to fight cancer with the training and tools they need to make their voices heard.